


Bottoms Up

by suyari



Category: X-Men (Comicverse)
Genre: Canon Death, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-10
Updated: 2013-10-10
Packaged: 2017-12-29 00:00:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/998467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/suyari/pseuds/suyari
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Vic does a little healing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bottoms Up

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own the X-men.

It wasn't that Vic had never noticed Josh, on the contrary they were good friends, it was more he'd never seen him in a situation that wasn't about two seconds away from needing application of his powers. Even before the Institute had gone to a very unique brand of hell, Josh had been constantly sought out for stupid things. Quick fixes that the others could have handled on their own, but didn't think about because why should they when there was a handy heal all just down the hall? Sometimes Vic thought Josh's code name was more spot on than others. He didn't think the school did it on purpose, but Josh's code name always reminded him of RPGs. And the weak, frightened players who always had copious amounts of healing potion clogging up their inventory because they couldn't keep questing if they had less than their max HP.

Vic had been drawn to Josh right away. There was something about the way he spouted hate. As someone who had had a _lot_ of hate of various types spewed at him, Vic could tell what was real and what was just toting a line for your own protection. Not that he thought Josh didn't have a choice - because he was a firm believer of free will - it was a case of doing what he felt he needed to survive, and Vic wasn't about to blame him for that. When he actually took the chance to open up and let people close, Josh was a whole different person. Vic was proud to say he was one of the first who had broken through that barrier. Josh was different now, they all were, but he was still Josh. Most of him was sealed up behind walls forty feet thick and as high as any mutant could fly. They regenerated faster than he could heal someone, so when you got a chance, you drew yourself a map and did your best to not fall into a trap hole.

Josh, as much as any of them, carried around his burdens. Sometimes the badge of 'X' felt like the weight of the world. And Vic didn't have a power people were willing to fight and die over obtaining. He honestly didn't know half the time how Josh functioned at all.

After the last incident, where Josh had killed Kevin, Vic figured it was past time someone pulled a Jay and dug Josh out. Josh had killed before - perhaps a whole lot more than they were aware if rumors were true - but he'd never killed anyone so close to him. And Vic knew Josh well enough to know how his animosity truly worked. It hadn't been easy to get Josh off the island, mainly because as per usual the elder Xes weren't keen on letting the (only, now) healer out of their sight. And even if they had been, Josh was refusing to budge. He'd gone practically catatonic in a corner of his room, and was refusing to do or say anything. He wasn't eating, he wasn't training, he never moved. Vic had been by several times in the last few weeks to try to get him out of his funk. In the end, he thought his best bet was to just kidnap his friend and sort the rest out later. Santo hadn't been happy about being drafted to grab Josh - mainly Vic thought, because he was concerned about the blond disconnecting his arms and somehow stopping him from reforming. It was an odd fear, to be sure, but everyone had different feelings where their limbs were concerned. And with everyone's powers running amuck all over the chart, they barely knew what they could do anymore, let alone what anyone else could. So he supposed it was a valid fear at any rate.

Julian was no help. He'd been a no win situation since he lost both hands. Vic couldn't tell if he felt sorry for himself or if he was angry at someone in particular - probably Josh - but his relationship leprosy would drag them all down if they weren't careful. Vic figured he could see about Julian - and some of the others - once they got Josh up and running again. The blond had a tendency to worry over everyone like a mother hen, even if it just came across as annoying or somehow mocking at times. Josh wasn't very good at relationships. Vic wasn't about to go throwing stones.

With Santo's help, and under Laura's scarily watchful gaze, they got Josh up and dressed in something decent. After the first ten minutes or so when his body failed to succumb to impulses not his own, Santo started to show that unwavering, generally irritating confident swagger. Until Vic was sort of hoping Josh _would_ decide to detach something - his mouth. But he didn't. And soon they were too busy sneaking Josh out - well kidnapping him really, but eh, semantics - to bother. Laura followed.

Though they spent the entire trip across the bay trying to convince Josh to lower his death shields, the blond didn't comply. Vic decided then to just tuck him up in his jacket and hope for the best. The club was one he'd been to before, and was mutant friendly - or as mutant friendly as anywhere could be anymore. Santo complained endlessly about being 'dragged' into a gay bar. Vic had to keep reminding him it was not about him. With the elder mutant's mass, crossing the room, and even finding a booth wasn't an issue. They got some stares, but no one said anything. Vic drummed the fingers of his normal hand against the table, watching Josh not react to anything. He'd hoped a loud, rowdy place with a booming bass and a sea of bodies would at least rate a notice, but Josh barely blinked.

"Here you go guys," said a waiter, setting drinks down in front of them. "On the house."

"Really?" asked Vic, to Santo's immediate, "Sweet!"

"We owe you one."

"We're not le-"

"Don't ask, don't tell, sweetheart," the man replied with a wink.

Vic smiled.

"Hey, you gonna drink that?" Santo asked.

Vic slid his whole larger arm about his glass and glared up at him.

Santo sighed and looked out across the dance floor.

It took Vic a while to notice, but Josh was spinning his glass. It was the most movement he'd seen the healer do in over a month. Shifting in his seat he took a chance and nudged Josh with his shoulder gently. Josh looked up at him and Vic felt his insides plummet. How'd they let it get this far? Why hadn't they tried to fix him, protect him, do _something_?! Josh was a healer, but he was a _person_ first. He was their _friend_. For once, Santo seemed to notice too, because he leaned across the table - crushing Vic slightly - and reached out to ruffle Josh's hair. "Hey Foley, you in there?"

"Josh?"

Josh looked down then away, at his glass. It was another moment before he brought it to his mouth and downed the whole glass in one swallow.

"Yeah, I hear that," Santo said. Turning to the bar, he raised an arm. "Hey, can we get another over here?"

Somewhere in the less fuzzy part of his brain, Vic knew they were running up a pretty hefty tab, but he couldn't seem to find it in him to care. Empty glasses littered the table and Santo was actually up and dancing in the middle of the floor. Being made of rock, most people gave him a good berth. Some people's minds ran a little differently and they were doing their best to dance as close to him as possible, occasionally taking glances down at his groin. Vic did his utmost to not laugh outright.

He'd lost count on the drinks, but he was pretty sure number didn't matter to someone with Josh's ability. Yet, the blond was swaying a little loosely with the music. Vic couldn't remember if Josh healed himself when he wanted or if it were more automatic like Laura and Wolverine. He wondered if it was automatic, if Josh's powers meant he could also turn it off if he wanted. He tried not to let his mind wander to the disturbing possibilities that thought brought with it. Could Josh hurt himself if he wanted to? How did his death powers work? Was he immune to them or would touching himself be dangerous? Would he-?

He made a tipsy grab for Josh's arm as the blond stood abruptly. "Where are you going?"

Josh pointed behind him.

Vic smiled. "Yeah, I'd love too."

He could feel the beat in his bones. For the first time, it didn't matter what he looked like, or whether danger was around the next corner. He felt good, and Santo was sober anyway. Rocks didn't get drunk. He laughed at that, tipping over into Josh. His chin caught against the other teen's shoulder and he blinked as gold bloomed against the blond's neck. Oh. He hadn't seen that color in weeks. He found he missed it. Without another thought, he grabbed both ends of his jacket and pulled them wide. Josh's body was all long, slim lines and sweet, alluring little ridges beneath it. His hands itched. They felt better against Josh's sides. And even better when they slid around to his back and yanked Josh close.

Little gold bursts exploded all over Josh's face and neck. He didn't try to pull away as Vic ground into him, but the closer Vic got the more gold he saw. Tilting his head he leaned all the way in and a wash of it took over the entire lower half of the left side of Josh's face. "Are you protecting me, Josh?" he murmured, pressing his lips to Josh's neck. Josh shivered in his embrace. "That's _so_ hot."

"Whoa! Vic are you suicidal?!" shouted Santo, grabbing him by the collar. He lifted, but Vic wrapped about Josh tightly and the pair of them were lifted clear of the dance floor.

"Lay off, Santo," he replied, settling his feet to Josh's thighs as they dangled. "I'm just painting." He leaned back. "See?"

Santo blinked. Lifting them closer, he peered at the swaying gold patch of skin. "How're you doing that?"

"Like this," he replied, setting the very tip of his tongue to Josh's throat and drawing it up against his pulse. Before his tongue set down, the blackness cleared away and a golden trail raced his tongue upward. "See?"

"Oh," Santo said, putting them down. "Yeah. Okay." He shuffled away with a little shimmying move.

Vic wound both legs about Josh's and brought his hands to the hem of his shirt. He wiggled his fingers under it. "You going to keep playing tag with me?" he asked, sliding the shirt up.

It was entirely possible he had had too much to drink. It was entirely possible _Josh_ had. But Vic wasn't about to let a little fact like who couldn't overcome a few alcohol molecules stop the all too wonderful sensations coursing through his body. Or the fact that he was getting something out of Josh at last.

It hadn't been as difficult as he'd always thought. Taking Josh by the hand, leading him off, pushing him back against the wall and ducking down to open his fly. Freeing him from his pants and wrapping his entire tongue about him before settling his mouth over it. At first Josh sighed, but the longer he worked him, the more sound came out. Groans, moans, mumbles that may have been words but were probably just nonsense. Josh's hands didn't settle on him. They braced against the wall, fingers curving into his palms as his head dropped back. Rolling against the wall as his hips followed, as he did his best to keep up, pitch in, whatever.

It was so perfect, Vic could feel himself following the raising tempo without even touching himself. As Josh neared his throat tightened, neck stretching and body rocking upward as he rose unto his toes. Vic followed him up the wall and pressed him against it, pinning him as he came. Josh, all of him, flared slightly for a moment. A beautiful wash of gold, burning in the dark like a star at night. It was enough for Vic, who between the taste on his tongue and a touch to his groin came with a muffled cry.

He caught Josh as the blond slid down, body a nice, comforting gold tone once more. He set him down on his jacket, not that Josh seemed to mind, and tried to figure out if Josh was okay. Laying a hand to his jaw, he curved his face up. Josh went slowly, without protest. When their eyes met, Vic was surprised to see Josh's overflowing with tears.

His chest seized and all systems routed to panic. He didn't know what to say. What did you say to your friend when you got them drunk, stripped them down and blew them shamelessly in the backroom of a gay club? Especially when they'd been so incredibly despondent they hadn't even _moved_ on their own for weeks? Oh God, what had he done?!

"I killed him," Josh sobbed, and it took Vic's mind a minute to catch up. Panic spiraling out so quickly, he felt a little nauseous. Josh was trembling. He gripped him by the shoulders, trying desperately to hold him together. If he fell apart, who would heal him? "I _killed_ him, Vic!"

Vic pulled him close as the blond choked on his sobs. He wrapped him up in his arms and held him tight as he cried. There was nothing he could say, and that was all the fault of the world. They hadn't asked to be born this way. They hadn't wanted to be different. When they were little kids, none of them aspired to be feared, hated, _hunted_ when they grew up. But it was their reality. Every day they woke up, they tried to move on. Tried to be a part of a world that ritualistically slaughtered them. A world where they were never safe. Where people they loved were in danger every day. Where there was always the chance someone would fall, never wake up again.

"I've got you, Josh," he murmured into his hair, feeling his own face grow wet with the tears he never allowed himself. "Let it out. I've got you."

Sometime later he was aware of coming to and froze, unaware of the reason.

"'Bout time," Santo commented from the oars.

Vic sat up and blinked at him. They were in the boat, Santo rowing the last few miles so the sound of the motor wouldn't tip anyone off. They were sneaking back onto the island. And it was growing light in the distance. He looked to his right and found Josh curled up against the bow. Fully dressed again, wrapped up in his jacket, but the sheen of gold was unmistakable.

"Who knew."

Vic turned to look at Santo.

"Good job, Vic."

Vic looked back at Josh and then down at his arm. He flexed his hand. "I think we may need to keep a better eye on our friends, Santo."

Santo grunted.

"Is Laura still following us?"

The rocky mutant gestured with his chin.

Vic saw her in the distance and smiled.

" _All_ our friends."


End file.
